Andy Coulson ordered snooping on Calum Best, the son of George Best, by
telling one of his senior lieutenants at The News of the World to “do his
phone,” the phone hacking trial has heard.

The former tabloid editor, who went on to become David Cameron’s chief spokesman, is alleged to have given the instruction to Ian Edmondson, the paper's former head of news, in an email.

Addressing the jury on the third day of the trial Andrew Edis QC, told the Old Bailey that the News of the World hacked the phones of a string of leading figures from the celebrity, sporting, political and royal worlds - including a hairdresser who the paper wrongly thought was related to Wayne Rooney.

Among those targeted were Tom Parker Bowles, the son of the Duchess of Cornwall, Lord Archer, the novelist and former Conservative MP, and Delia Smith, the television cook, the jury heard.

The paper also intercepted the voicemails of a woman called Laura Rooney, suspecting that she was linked to the England footballer of the same name, it was alleged.

Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting, said: "She is a hairdresser who does not know Wayne Rooney but found herself being investigated just in case she did."

The court heard that Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator working for The News of the World, was tasked to hack the phone of Calum Best, the son of the late George Best.

Describing George Best, Mr Edis said: "He was a wonderful footballer. His son is for that reason still a subject of media interest, which shows you quite how wonderful a footballer he really must have been."

He added: "The evidence we have does not actually reveal that there was any phone hacking of Calum Best - it doesn't mean that there wasn't."

The jury was told that The News of the World hacked the phones of a wide range of high-profile individuals, including Sven-Goran Eriksson, the former England manager, Nigel Farage, the UK Independence Party leader, Mark Oaten, the former Liberal Democrat MP and Eimear Cook, the former wife of the golfer Colin Montgomerie.

Also allegedly targeted were Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton and Helen Asprey, senior aides to Princes William and Harry, and Paddy Harveson, the Prince of Wales's press secretary.

Among the celebrities whose voicemails were intercepted were the film stars Jude Law and Sienna Miller, Abi Titmuss, the former glamour model, Kerry Katona, the singer and reality television star, Paul McCartney, the former Beatle, and his ex-wife Heather Mills.

Rebekah Brooks, 45, who edited The News of the World and The Sun before being promoted to chief executive of Rupert Murdoch's News International, is accused of conspiracy to intercept voicemails, conspiracy to cause misconduct in public office and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Coulson, 45, who later became Prime Minister David Cameron’s director of communications, is facing charges related to phone hacking and to alleged corrupt payments.

They are standing trial with six other people, including Mrs Brooks’s racehorse trainer husband Charlie, 50, Stuart Kuttner, 73, a former News of the World managing editor, Ian Edmondson, 44, the paper's former head of news, and Clive Goodman, 56, the Sunday tabloid’s former royal editor.

Also in the dock at Court 12 of the Old Bailey are Mrs Brooks’ former personal assistant, Cheryl Carter, 49, and Mark Hanna, 50, News International’s former security chief.